Undergarment



July 29, 1941. R SNYDER 29250506 UNDERGARMENT Filed July 14. A1939 l' as l.

IN VEN TOR.

Patented July 279, 1941 UNITED STATS trice ATNT 1 Claim.

This invention relates to apparel and more particularly to undergarments known as shorts or briefs, it being one object of the invention to provide a garment of this character which will fit snugly when worn but at the same time be free from binding which would make the garment uncomfortable.

Another object of the invention is to so form the garment that the leg openings will be bordered by seams enclosing elastic strips which cause the garment to rlt snugly and smoothly about the legs but allow suicient expansion and contraction to prevent constricting pressures which would cause congestion of blood in the veins and make the garment uncomfortable when worn.

Another object of the invention is to provide an undergarment having front and back panels gradually reduced in width toward their lower ends which are connected to form the crotch portion of the garment, the said lower ends of the panels being connected by an elastic strip or section disposed at the back of the garment and forming a continuation of the rear panel which serves to hold the two panels snugly in place and also allows expansion to prevent ripping when a person wearing the garment leans over.

Another object of the invention is to provide an undergarment of this character wherein the front panel consists of inner and outer plies or sheets, the outer ply being so formed that it will be braced against strains and the inner ply have a fullness imparted to it which will impart a comfortable lt to the garment and also cause the garment to serve very effectively as a supporter.

Another object of the invention is to provide the garment with an improved waistband consisting of elastic strips extending transversely across upper ends of the front and rear panels and so connected that the waistband may be adjusted for size and thus fit comfortably about the waist of a person wearing the garment.

Still another object of the invention resides in providing a garment which is simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and one which will be very efficient in operation and application to use.

With these and numerous other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specication and claim.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

and arrangement of Figure 1 is a view looking at the front of the garment, portions of the bindings for the leg openings being shown in section;

Figure 2 is a similar View looking at the back of the garment;

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken vertically through the garment along the line 3--3 of Fig-l ure l;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken transversely through the garment along the line 4--4 of Figure 1;'

Figure 5 is a view of the inner sheet or `ply of the front panel;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section the line 6-6 of Figure 1; and y Figure 'l is a perspective view showing a modied form of waistband.

This improved undergarment has front and rear panels l and 2 formed of ribbed fabric, the fabric being so woven that the ribs extend longitudinally or vertically thereof to permit transverse expansion and contraction of the panels. These panels gradually taper toward their lower ends to provide substantially triangular panels and at their lower ends are connected by a strip or crotch section 3 formed of elastic fabric of the type used for garters, Suspenders and the like. Referring to Figure 3 it will be seen that the front panel I is of somewhat greater length than the rear panel and its lower end extends downwardly below the lower end of the rear panel. Therefore, ythe elastic section 3, While serving as a yieldable connection between the front and rear panels, is disposed iat the rear taken along of the garment and constitutes an elastic termi` nal for the lower end of the rear panel. Reinforcing strips ll and 5 extend diagonally upon upper portions of the front and rear panels with their lower ends at sides of the panels and their upper ends intersecting midway upper ends of the panels as shown in Figures 1 and 2. These strips l and 5 are sewed along their side edges to the panels and serve very effectively to brace the panels against strains which would distort the panels or cause the panels to be torn by strains exerted when the garment is worn.

The rear panel consists of a single sheet of fabric but the front panel has an inner sheet or ply 6 also formed of longitudinally ribbed knitted fabric having its ribs extending longitudinally so that the inner sheet may stretch and contract transversely. This inner sheet 6 is substantially diamond-shaped as shown in Figure 5, and side edges of its lower portion terminate at side edges of the outer sheet of the front panel. The upper portion of the inner sheet is gradually reduced in width towards its upper end and at its upper end terminated midway the width of the front panel and in back of the intersecting upper ends of the bracing strips 4. The inner sheet 6 is unbroken throughout its area but the front panel I has its lower end formed with a longitudinally extending seam or dart 'I and in spaced relation to the seam 'I and lower ends of the bracing strips 4 is formed with diagonally extending seams or darts 8 which lead from side edges of the front panel and extend upwardly in converging relation to each other. These darts constrict the lower portion of the front panel and cause a fullness to be imparted which causes a good supporting action to take place when the garment is worn. The front and rear panels cooperate with each other to form leg openings 9, and in order to reinforce the fabric about these openings there have been provided bindings I0. These bindings are also formed of ribbed woven fabric having their ribs extending transversely so that they may expand and contract circumferentially of the leg openings. Within the bindings I0 are narrow strips of elastic fabric II secured at their ends and loose in the bindings. These elastics serve to contract the side edge portions of the panels around the leg openings and assure a snug fit about a persons legs.

'I'he waistband of the garment consists of front and rear bands I2 and I3 formed of wide strips of elastic fabric. These bands are sewed along their lower edges to upper ends of the panels, the rear band having its ends terminating even with opposite ends of the upper edge of the rear panel and the front band being of greater length with its end portions projecting from the front panel to provide tongues I4 carrying snap-fastener sockets I5 for engagement with companion studs I6 carried by end portions of the rear band I3. The rear band carries a greater number of fastener members than the front band and, therefore, the waistband may be adjusted to accommodate itself to the size of a persons waist.

Since the tongues carry more than one fastener member they may be firmly held in overlapping relation to end portions of the rear band and prevented from turning about the fastener members I6 out of parallel overlapping engagement therewith. It will thus be seen that the waistband will t comfortably and sufficiently snug to properly hold the garment in place when worn.

In Figure 7 there has been shown a modified construction wherein the sections Il and Iii of the waistband are both of such length that their end portions initially project from opposite sides of the flaps. The projecting ends I9 of the band I'I are passed inwardly through rings 20 and secured against the inner surface of the band, stitches 2| being passed through the folded portions of the band and about the enclosed portions of the rings to rmly hold the rings in place. The projecting end portions 22 of the band I 8 are to be passed through the rings and when these projecting end portions or tongues are secured by companion snap fasteners 23 the waistband sections will be adjustably secured together and form a waistband of the proper size.

From the foregoing description of the construction of my improved garment, the operation thereof and the method of applying the same to use, will be readily understood. It will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive and efficient means for carrying out the objects of the invention and while I have particularly described the elements best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, which is claimed is:

In a garment of the character described, front and rear panels separated at their sides and tapered toward their lower ends, a reinforcing sheet for the front panel having its upper portion tapered upwardly and terminating midway the width of the upper end of the front panel, reinforcing tapes for said panels extending diagonally thereon in conformity to the taper of the upper portion of the reinforcing sheet with their lower ends terminating at side edges of the panels in spaced relation to upper and lower ends thereof and the upper ends of companion tapes meeting midway the width of the panel carrying the same, a strip of elastic fabric extending across the upper end of the front panel, a strip of elastic fabric extending across the upper end of the rear panel with its end portions projecting from opposite sides thereof to provide tongues, upper marginal portions of the panels and upper ends of the reinforcing tapes being sewed against inner faces of said strips, and companion fastener members carried by said tongues and end portions of the front strip to releasably and adjustably secure the tongues in overlapping engagement with end portions of the front strip to form a waistband of predetermined dimensions.

PAUL SNYDER. 

